Motion-picture apparatus.



s. B. AUSTINQ MOTION PICTURE APPARATUS. APPLICATION FIIIED NOV. 20,i914.

1,169,376. Patented Ja1 1.2J5, 1916.

iliiiilll J WMIMIMHIIHM Alias-6. I I fn22enzfor:

UNITED STATES "PATENT. OFFICE.

SYDNEY B. AUSTIN, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR TO All-DISPLAYMACHINE CORPORATION, A CORPORATION OF VIRGINIA.

MOTION-PICTURE APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 25, 1916.

Application filed November 20, 1914. Serial No. 873,181.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, SYDNEY B. AUSTIN, citizen of the United States,residing at Baltimore, Maryland, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Motion-Picture Apparatus, of which the following is aspeci-' fication.

My invention relates to apparatus for producing motion picture effects,and it consists in the features of construction and arrangement andcombination of parts hereinafter described and particularly defined bythe appended claims. I

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of theinvention; Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view. Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6 areviews relating to a modification.

In carrying out my invention, the motion picture, effect is produced bythe use of a screen member or grating, which may be provided by parallellines marked or otherwise suitably provided on a glass plate orothertransparent material, and a picturecarrying member having a compositepicture thereon, one of said parts being moved in relation to the other,so that different parts of the composite picture member will be exposedto view through the clear spaces between the lines or bars of the screenor grating member. This method of producing a motion picture eifect isnot new in itself, and

my improvement relates to a particular formof apparatus in which thepicture carrying member is in the form of a traveling band having formedthereon or carried thereby the composite pictures. This band is moved inrear of the screen member to bring dif-- ferent portions of thecomposite pictures to the clear spaces between the lines of the screen.

In the drawings, A represents a box or trough having at its frontportion the screen member B. This may consist of a piece of glass or anumber of pieces having vertical or inclined lines formed thereon, andpreferably on the inner side, these lines having clear spaces betweenthem; Within the trough or box an endless band C is mounted passingaround rollers E, and this band'carries the composite'pictures, one ofwhich is indicated at D. The band is pressed against the rear or innerface of the screen member by, any suitable means so as to make a closecontact, and in the particular arrangement shown I employ spring membersG to secure may be driven through suitable connections with the axle ofthe car. The endless band may be of any suitable material, and thecomposite pictures may be formed directly thereon, or they may be formedon separate pieces mounted upon the band'. The band mayconsist of astrip of flexible material having openings therein over which thecomposite picture members may be placed so that light rays "may passthrough the openings in the band and through the transparent picturemembers, so that the composite picture may be seen through the clearspaces 0 the screen member.

Any suitable means may be provided for holding the picture members tothe band, and the band or carrier may be made of upper and lowertraveling members to which the picture members are connected.

It will be understood that the composite pictures may be carried bynon-transparent material, as the different portions of the compositepicture will show through the clear spaces of the screen, being lightedup from the lights in the car, or during the daytime the compositepictures on the opaque material will show throughthe clear spaces of thescreen.

The carrier for the composite pictures may be of the form shownin Fig.3, consisting of two endless steel tapes having perforations to beengaged by projections 1 on the drums or ratchets 2, Fig. 4. Thecomposite. picture members may be secured to these particularconstruction shown, snap buttons are employed, one member of the snapbutton being carried on the picture member and the other part of thesnap button or fastening being carried by the endless tape or carrier,such a connection being shown in Fig. 5.

It will be seen from the above that the apparatus may be used with orwithout illumirier which as it travels in the same direction repeats thedisplay of the several poses making up the composite motion picture isthat pictures may be used which will simulate walking or running of theperson or thing being exhibited because the picture will traverse aconsiderable distance from one end of the box to the other, or a dancingeffect may be secured.

In some cases it may be desired to exhibit one composite picture for aconsiderable period and then change to another picture, which in turn,will be exhibited for a considerable period. In such a case, the-carrieron which the composite pictures are mounted or formed will be operatedintermittingly,

and when the picture is brought to the dis-' play point and is at rest,the screen member will be operated to bring its clear spaces oppositedifl'erent portions of the composite picture. Such an apparatus is shownin Fig. 6, in which 3 is the box containing the carrier-C, the pictureson which may each be of a length from a to b, there being a series ofthese. This band, or carrier is moved intermittingly in any suitable wayand at each action, it brings one of its pictures for display to theopening 4: of the box and through a screen 5 extending over the saidopening. While the carrier is at rest with a picture located at thedisplay point, the screen member is moved so that the different parts ofthe composite picture will be exposed to view successively through theclear spaces of the screen. Ihe screen member may be arranged andoperated in any suitable way but in the particular construction shown,it is moved back and forth, but its movement in one direction may besuflicient to display the picture. After displaying one picture, thecarrier is shifted to bring another picture to the display point andthen the operation is repeated of displayingthe parts of this picturethrough the clear spaces of the screen. In changing from one picture toanother the view of the screen and picture behind it, may be cut off bya shutter or inthe case of employing a light to show through atransparent picture member and screen, this light may be put out or cutoff during the time that the change of pictures is being made and theseactions may be carried out by any suitable automatic mechanism.

I claim as my invention 1. In a motion picture apparatus, a trans parentscreen member having opaque lines with clear spaces between, an endlesscarrier, and composite pictures mounted on said endless carrier, saidcomposite pictures moving in proximity to the screen member to exposethe difl'erent parts of said composite pictures through the clear spacesof the screen, substantially as described.

2. In combination a screen member, an endless carrier having compositepictures, and means for pressing the composite pictures against thescreen member as the said pictures travel along the screen member,substantially as described.

3. In combination a trough or box having a screen member at the frontthereof, an endless carrier within the box having com posite picturesthereon, said composite pictures moving in close proximity to the screenmember to' expose difi'erent parts thereof through the clear spaces ofthe screen, sub stantially as described.

4:. In combination a rigid screen member, a flexible traveling member oftransparent material having a composite picture thereon, and means forguiding the flexible member in its movement in close proximity to thescreen member, substantially as described.

5. A motion picture apparatus comprising a relatively fixed screenmember and a traveling composite picture member, with means for movingthe latter to cause repetitions of the motion picture effectatdifferentpoints along the screen, substantially as described.

6. A picture display apparatus comprising a composite picture member anda screen member, the latter having opaqueportions with clear spaces forthe display of the composite pictures, one of said members being in theform of an endless band, and means 'for moving said endless band,substantially as described.

In testimonywhereof, I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

SYDNEY B. AUSTIN.

Witnesses:

F. L. MIDDLETON, WALTER DONALDSON.

